Braids Return!

I am excited to see that braids are popular in hair styles this Spring. I have always loved braids and I love to use braids in my jewelry design. This 17 inch (43.2 cm) necklace is made by crocheting beads on non tarnish silver wire. The blue beads were strung onto sterling silver wire, crocheted, and then 3 strands were braided together. It is unique and stunning. Crocheted necklaces are my passion. Braiding is also a love of mine. The different shades of blue and the silver colors compliment each other. The necklace is held together with a beautiful 22 mm by 19 mm sterling plated toggle clasp. The beads include lapis chips, cat's eye beads, and round soladite beads.

I love to use soladite and lapis because blue is one of my favorite colors. Soladite is one of the compoents of Lapis Lazuli. Soladite is considered a semi-precious stone found in all shades of blue. This is due to the white calcite in its content.

It is believed that Soladite can help with boosting your immune system, and change the way you feel about yourself by helping you adopt a simpler life, less hectic. Blue is a calming color.

I also like to use cat's eye beads because they change hue as they capture and reflect light. These beads have a band of light running through the center that resembles a cat's eye. All who know me know that I love cats too so naturally I would be attracted to beads with cat in the name.

Fall Musings

I love to crochet beads into necklaces. This Fall copper is my favorite metal. In this crocheted necklace Chinese turquoise and really interesting metal findings are blended together. I have also worked with silver wire and gems and minerals which are royal blue like lapis and blue cat's eye beads. Another popular combination is black snowflake agate and sterling silver. Variations of these necklaces can be found at the Rehoboth Art League throughout the year.

Summer at the Seashore

I love the beach and and my vintage pink sea urchin necklace combines pieces from two of my favorite shops. I love to shop for beads at Etsy stores and two that I frequent often are Humblebeads and Antica. I purchased the pink sea urchin from Humblebeads and the vintage pink beads from Antica. The pink beads were originally part of some huge '50's earrings that combined the pink beads with aqua and royal blue beads. I gave the pink beads new life by putting them in this necklace. I am wondering what the aqua beads and royal blue will be repurposed in their next lives.

Spring Renewal

This "Sea Spring" necklace is earth friendly. Not only does the glass focal point remind me of the greens and sky blues of the Spring season, but this necklace puts fresh life into a vintage necklace from the 1950's. I first spotted this necklace in the Antica shop. This shop is a member  of the Delaware Etsy Street Team. The necklace was the traditional necklace of the '50's with a large center bead and the remainder of the beads decreasing in size as they approach a tiny clasp in the back. I love vinatage German glass beads. I also love the minty color of the beads. When the the mint green is combined with capri blue of the potato pearls, the colors just pop. The focal piece picks up both the mint and capri blue colors and has some yellow, black, and pink to add some other fresh colors. The 19 inch necklace also contains some sterling silver and is connected with a cute little toggle clasp that I love to use. The shape of the toggle reminds me of the breast cancer awareness ribbon. It is stamped 925. A really fresh, contemporary necklace is created and these gorgeous vintage beads have been given new life-Spring Renewal.